The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1887-03-17
HURLED DOWN To DEATH.
THIRTY-THREE PEOPLE KILLED AND
OVER FIFTY INJURED.

BosToN, March 15--The most horrible
railroad accident that has occurred in the
vicinity of Boston since the holocaust at
Revere happened this mording in the West
Roxbury district The a. m.- train on the
Boston & Providence railroad crashed
through highway bridge over South street,
between Forest Hills and Roslindale stations,
the accident resulting, 50 far as learned at
present, in the death of thirty-three per-
sons and the injury, in many cases very
serious, of forty more. Most of the injured
are said to be women. The cash Of the fall
ing bridge and cars was heard for some dis
tance, and the inhabitants Aocked to the
Ecene
The fire department was on the scene al
most Immediately, and prevented the horror
of cremation. Doctors and ambulances were
sent for in every direction, and many soon
arrived. Their services were put in execu-
tion at once as the dead and wounded were
taken out. Most of the dead and those of the
Injured who were able to be moved were sent
10 Roslindale and Dedham. The train was
in charge of Conductor Tilden, who met a
terrible death. He was found on the bank
with his leg literally torn off, his abdomen
separated and bowels protruding He was
also otherwise badly mangled. He died q
few moments after being found.
The Globes extra accident edition says:
Eleven persons are known to be dead. Six
of these are young girls going to work. Over
thirty persons are seriously injured, many Of
them fatally, and are now in terrible
agony. Assistant Conductor Drake is dying
of his injuries Sergeant Naylor, of the
West Roxbury division Of mounted police,
was killed. On Saturday last he renewed a
$1,000 policy on his life. Alice Burnett, Of
Roslindale, was killed. George Lord is badly
injured Webster Drake is seriously injured.
r. 8. Harvey is badly bruised. Drs Halves,
Dixon, Noyes, Deblois, Hubbard and Tarbell
were summoned to the scene Of the accident.
DIR. Hawes describes the scene as frightful
In tho extreme. When he mentioned the fact
Of tho six girls being found lying in their
own blood the strong man cried. He could
give no names The bodies Of the dead were
left and the injured cared for Some were
taken to the Massachusetts, others to the city
hospital and some home. The excitement at
the Providence depot is intense Crowds are
standing, eagerly waiting for news. All are
Inquiring for relatives and friends EN-
ployers were asking for their employees.
The wrecked train is one over the West
Roxbury branch, and the scene Of the acci-
dent is a third of a mile above Forest Hills
station The only cause so far as known is
that the Busy bridge gave way. There were
nine passenger cars on the train, all heavily
loaded. w. X. White was the engineer.
Frank Irving said when he came along on
the next train after the accident, he saw
seventeen dead bodies lying near the track.
The wounded will number great many, and
most of them are fatally injured. One car
caught fire but was extingushed before any
damage was done Wrecking trains and a
large number Of surgeons and policemen are
On the scene.
The facts as far as known at the present
time are as follows: As the Dedham branch
train, which leaves Dedham at 7:O5 and ar.
rives in Boston at 7:40, reached this bridge,
the three rear cars were in some way thrown
from the track and piled promiscuously down
the embankment, which at this point is thirty
or thirty-fve feet high. This bridge crosses
the marsh between Forest Hills station and
Roslindale, and is approached on either side
by embankments. The train is one Of the
largest and heaviest on the morning list, and
ehis morning, as usual was heavily loaded.
The last three cars, the ones that left the
track, were filled with passengers who had
taken the train at Dedham and the stations
Intervening between there and Forest Hill.
AS soon as the accident occurred word was
sent to the nearest station, and from there
the superintendent of the road was notified
by telegraph and messengers summoning
surgical assistance were sent out on horse
back. In the meantime force of men set
to work to relieve those who were pinned
under the wreck and wrecking train was
also made up and at once sent to the scene.
A hundred and fifty mattresses were OBJ
tanned at the city hospital and sent by the
train which carried the surgeons and friends
Of the passengers A gentleman who left the
scene at 9 o'clock said twenty bodies had been
taken out, and that two of the injured had
died. The number Of persons injured, he
says, was very large.
The bridge where the accident occurred
was one over South street, and the gentle
man says that the accident was due to the
giving way of the structure under the weight
of the train, owing doubtless to some hidden
fault in the construction or the material
used. The news spread like wildfre and the
people thronged to the scene by thousands.
In short time the place was crowded with
people.
The bridge is comparatively @ new struc-
ture The accident is attributed to several
causes, but it is now stated that 1t was caused
by truck under one of the cars becoming
detached and striking against the abutments
Of the bridge. Almost Immediately after the
smoker fell flames began to pour out Of the
'.nna "'"S ~, Ane n car nau UaAen iire rom ene
eOove, nno lue ueparVlien', however, was
= onpoiy az 'ne scene anu soon hguiSneo
'iie naneS
A,aons 'Tose reporeeu K,iieu are: O0nuuc-
EoL my1Un T.,, llloen, Aifce nurneCS, OIL hosiln-
oane, imam Yunis1n, , or IUsilnuaie' Mrs:
r.